Writers Group Publishes, Preserves Legacies

Sue Jeffries with some of her published works at the Book Buzz.

by Russ Alman, Communications Director

Members of the Senior Center Writers Group hosted a “Book Buzz” event during lunch on February 28, offering an opportunity for attendees to learn more about the group, talk with individual writers and even purchase printed copies of the writers’ works.
Recently, Jim Tarbert, a longtime member of the group and a former facilitator, and John Gallanis, the current group facilitator, talked about how the group has helped them grow as writers and become published authors.

John Gallanis

The Writers Group has been around for decades. It started out as a proofreading group to correct misspellings and punctuation, but over the years has grown to include more in-depth peer review and critiquing. Members can bring in a short story or a chapter from a book they are working on and receive feedback about the clarity of their writing and suggestions on how to improve it.

The group has also evolved to help people learn how to publish their work. “We’re getting recommendations from people who have published on their own. Whether it’s a family memoir or it’s a fictional story, [our members] can start thinking realistically about making a book of their own and self-publishing on Amazon and Kindle Direct,” said Gallanis.

As the group has grown, so has the diversity of its members. Increasingly, new members do not have previous experience as writers but bring ideas from their life experiences that will make excellent stories. The group provides a sounding bed for fleshing out these story concepts and also provides a collaborate environment for learning and improving writing techniques. “Their ideas, their stories are fabulous!” said Gallanis. “People who remember growing up with Indians… people who have mining experience, flying pilots, everything.”

Gallanis himself is a retired doctor and brings decades of experience in that field to the table. He had never written a story until he joined the group.

Tarbert originally joined because he had over 50 years of professional and life experience that he wanted to share, but didn’t have the writing skills to turn them into stories or the knowledge of how to publish them. “My English has always been terrible. So I joined the Writers Group because I wanted to publish my family history,” said Tarbert.

After participating in the group for a few years, and developing his writing skills, Tarbert decided that he wanted to begin publishing his work. He learned how to use Amazon to publish at no cost to the author.

Both Tarbert and Gallanis now have published works and help others to do the same. “We have now in our group five members who have published books,” said Tarbert. “Any of those five authors are qualified to show a new member how to do it.”

The Writers Group also provides its members with an opportunity to record their legacy. Every member has unique ideas, whether concepts for fiction or real life stories. Turning these into finished works assures that their stories will continue to live on after they are gone. “It’s something we can offer that gives people a sense of worth,” said Gallanis.

Case in point: Each issue of the Livewire includes a “Backporch” story. These are short stories and poems that have been created over the years by members of the Writers Group. Some of these stories are from members who are no longer with us but they live on through their work.

The Writers Group is available at no cost for Senior Center members. The group meets on the first and third Wednesday of every month from 9:30 - 11:30 a.m. in Suite B. Whether you are an experienced writer or are just starting out, you are welcome to attend and participate.

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Ron Smith and Mareca Guthrie with some of their published works at the Book Buzz.